Devices and methods for producing precision lenses are known, for example, from US 2006/0107697 A1, EP 0356 068 B1, EP 1 273 424 A1, DE 198 26 385 A1 as well as Patent Abstracts of Japan to JP 63182223 A, JP 62292636 A, JP 62292630 A, JP 62292629 A, JP 61266320 A, JP 61242921 A, JP 61242920 A, JP 57041155 A, JP 58177257 A, JP 11333686, JP 09277327 A, JP 60033221 A and JP 01298034 A.
DE 103 23 989 B4 discloses a device for implementing a method for producing blank molded glass bodies for optical equipments, wherein a liquid glass gob is supplied to a levitation pre-mould in which the glass gob without contacting the pre-mould is blanked into a blank which after elapse of a predefined time is transferred to a separate press mould and pressed therein using a molding tool into an end form, wherein the transfer of the blank to the press mould is conducted in such a way that the blank is falling in a free fall from the pre-mould into the press mould, wherein the pre-mould for transferring the glass gob is shifted over the press mould, is stopped in this transfer position and is pivoted away downwardly from the glass gob using two turntables, one of which includes circularly disposed pre-moulds for forming said blanks from a liquid glass gob which include in the lower portion thereof minor holes for building in an air cushion and the other includes circularly disposed press moulds for molding the blanks after transfer out of the pre-moulds, and wherein each pre-mould is attached to the first turntable via a switchable holder holding the pre-mould in a first switching position horizontally and in a second switching position holding the pre-mould in a position enabling the free fall of the blanks.
DE 101 40 626 B4 discloses a method for producing a press formed glass body, wherein a molten glass mass is poured into a mould, pressed within the mould using a press ram and cooled down and subsequently removed from the mould as the press formed glass body, wherein the molten glass mass in the mould is subjected several molding processes, wherein between the molding processes a cooling process occurs and at least once between the molding processes a heating process for heating the outer regions of the glass mass is conducted such that the cooling of the glass mass in the outer region is matched to the cooling within the core.
DE 102 34 234 A1 discloses a method of blank molding a glass body for optical applications using a press mould including an upper mould and a lower mould and optionally a ring for receiving the glass body heated to a temperature above its deformation temperature, wherein an electrical voltage is applied between the upper mould and the lower mould and at least after matching the temperature of the glass body to the temperature of the press mould a compression pressure is applied to the glass body.
DE 103 48 947 A1 discloses a press for hot forming optical elements made of glass including a device for heating a mould block including an upper mould, a lower mould and a guiding ring for receiving the glass material, wherein as a heating mechanism an inductive heating is provided and the mould block is disposed on top of a thermically isolating body during the heating process.
DE 196 33 164 C2 discloses a method and a device for blank molding optical components for illuminating purposes at least on one side, wherein at least one mechanically portioned glass part is transferred by a gripper to at least one annular receptacle extendable from at least one oven and moved from the receptacle into the oven and is heated therein on the receptacle, wherein the heated glass part is moved from the receptacle out of the oven and is again transferred to the gripper which supplies the heated glass part to a press for blank molding the glass part at least on one side, and wherein the blank molded glass part is then removed from the press, transferred to a cooling zone and carried away from there.
DE 103 60 259 A1 discloses a method of blank molding optical elements made of glass, wherein a glass gob arranged in a mould block is heated to a temperature T above its transformation temperature TG, the glass gob is pressed and cooled down to a temperature lower than TG, wherein the cooling process initially is conducted in a first temperature interval above TG using a first cooling rate and then in a second temperature interval including TG using a second cooling rate, and wherein for adjusting the first and second cooling rate an active cooling is conducted.
DE 44 22 053 C2 discloses a method of producing glass forms, wherein in a pressing station molten glass is pressed in a press mould predetermining the exterior shape of the glass form using a press ram predetermining its interior shape, wherein the press ram remains in contact with the glass form within the press mould and thus dissipates heat from the surface of the glass form only for a time until the glass form has cooled down in a near-surface area to such a temperature that it includes an inherent rigidity sufficient for removing the glass form from the press mould, and wherein the glass form subsequently is removed from the press mould and transferred to a cooling station before it becomes deformed due to partially heating and the glass form is cooled down in the cooling station until it is completely solidified.
Other methods and devices for producing optical components are disclosed for example in JP 09132417 A, JP 10251030 A, EP 1 584 863 A2 and EP 0 078 658 B2.
It is an object of the invention to decrease the costs for producing technical glass parts meeting high requirements with respect to contour accuracy and/or surface quality, particularly precision lenses, compared to known methods.